Wichita has former NFL running back Barry Sanders. Halstead has former college basketball coach Adolph Rupp. Even small town Sedgwick has Brian Moorman, one of the top punters in the NFL.

Lawrence has no star player it can claim as a native product. Yes, Lawrence takes pride in the stars KU turns out, but the city has no one it can truly claim as its own. If Kevin Hooper, a Lawrence native who played baseball for Wichita State from 1996 to 1999, has anything to say about it, though, he will change that.

Hooper rotated between second base and shortstop through his baseball career. One knock on him throughout his career has been his size. He stands only 5-foot-10. His Lawrence High School baseball coach, Lynn Harrod, realized Hooper had the skill set to be a good player, but Hooper’s size made him cautious. Harrod said that back then, freshmen and sophomores were not allowed on the varsity team.

Hooper’s first opportunity to prove himself came in his junior year in high school. Harrod still wasn’t sold on Hooper’s strength and was wrestling with the idea of using him as a leadoff hitter. Harrod placed Hooper at the bottom of the order instead and Hooper instantly began to prove his worth.

“He proceeded to go 6-for-8 in a doubleheader and drove in about eight runs with a couple triples and a couple doubles,” Harrod said. “That pretty much showed us what he could do.”

Harrod said Hooper proved during the next two years at Lawrence that he had the ability to play Division-I baseball. The choice came down to Kansas or Wichita State. Harrod said Wichita State had about six middle infielder recruits at the time, as well as the same questions about Hooper’s size and ability. Harrod passed on this advice on Hooper to Wichita State’s hitting instructor, Jim Thomas: “You’re going to find every way that he can’t play for you, but he’ll prove you wrong.”

Hooper earned a starting spot about a month into his freshman season.

It hurt Hooper not to go to KU. He said that he would have liked to stay in Lawrence but that the situation at Wichita State worked out better for him.

“I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity because I knew I wanted to play in the major leagues,” Hooper said. “Since I was as young as I can even remember that’s what my dream was and I thought the best opportunity for me for that was to go to Wichita State.”

Hooper said he loved playing at Wichita State and making the College World Series his freshman year. Hooper also was named an All-American in 1996.

He spent last year playing shortstop for the Wichita Winguts in the American Association, an independent baseball league. He was named manager of the Wingnuts last November.

Hooper spent most of his time in professional baseball in the minor leagues but said he didn’t regret a minute of it — he was happy just to get the opportunity.

“I’ve overcome a lot of odds and obstacles to reach the peak of my profession,” Hooper said.

He even ended up getting a hit with the Detroit Tigers in 2005.

“All that hard work ended up paying off,” Hooper said.

Though his size has always seemed to throw people off, Hooper’s character has never been in question. In fact, that’s what sticks out to Steve Schuster, Wingnuts’ director of broadcasting.

“He defines the word ‘professionalism,’” Schuster said.

Schuster said Hooper’s character was what would help him be a good manager, because it rubs off on people.

“He plays hard. He works hard. He sets an example for everyone,” Schuster said, adding that Hooper would transition well because, in his opinion, shortstops make some of the best managers.

Hooper knows how tough it is to make it the majors from his time as a player, but he is willing to challenge himself again to make it as a manager in the Major League.

“You think it’s hard to get there as a player — it’s even harder to do it as a manager,” Hooper said. “You’ve got 30-what-odd teams and there’s 25 guys on a roster, but there’s only one manager for each team.”

He is willing to work his way up again and is confident he can fulfill another dream.

“It’s an elite group, but I’m going to give it all that I’ve got, just as I did playing,” Hooper said.

All through his career Hooper has never forgotten his roots and recognizes Lawrence as a big part of his life.

“It’s a place that will always be in my heart and I’ll never forget the experiences I had there,” Hooper said.

Hooper just may become Lawrence’s native star.

— — Edited by Chris Hickerson